It also calls for a long-term strategy to replace many of Victoria's ageing overhead powerlines with underground cables, a program of voluntary acquisition for homes in high-risk areas and the establishment of an independent Victorian fire commissioner.

However the Commission expresses dismay at the actions of former police chief commissioner Christine Nixon on Black Saturday and her inconsistent evidence during the hearings.

Premier John Brumby says he will consult the community before adopting any of the recommendations.

The communities affected by the bushfires are spending this afternoon examining the report.

Copies were delivered to the communities and hubs have been set up in some areas to give survivors the chance to read the findings in a supportive environment.

Lyn Gunter, the mayor of Murrindindi when the Black Saturday fires swept through the shire, says there are some "gaps" in the final report.

"I'm encouraged but I don't think it's enough," she said.

"The major gaps are going to be the communications, the safer places and the identification of those.

"And it's about knowing these are going to be implemented. People want the confidence to know these recommendations and the recommendations for their safety are going to be implemented."

Liz Amos, from Buxton near Marysville, says the local community is looking for swift action on the Commission's findings.

She says she is concerned about whether smaller towns, with only one road in and one road out, would be able to evacuate if a major fire hit.

"I think that's fine if there's routes for them to get out," she said.

"We also have to have safe areas to go to."

Marysville resident Dennis Brown says fire survivors are not looking for a scapegoat.

"I don't think we want to find blame about individual people," he said.

"The forces that were released on that Saturday were so huge, it didn't matter what humans did, we just had to have somewhere safe to go. You had to get away from it, there was no staying."

In Gippsland, communities have welcomed the recommendation for better cooperation between the fire agencies.

John Arkinstall from the Bushfire Recovery Committee at Churchill says people will need time to absorb the massive report.

"There's a few of them [recommendations] that are very good," he said.

"Some of the ones that talk about developing standards for community refuges and acknowledging personal shelters around homes as a fall-back option for people is a really good idea."

Consultation

A total of 173 people were killed and thousands were left homeless when bushfires swept across Victoria on February 7, 2009.

The Commission also examined the bushfire that destroyed 30 homes in Gippsland the week before Black Saturday.

Mr Brumby says he will undertake further community consultation before responding to the report.

"I think it would be the height of disrespect not to give people across the state, not to give communities, not to give people in fire-effected areas, not to give bereaved families, not to give the CFA the opportunity to comment to government before we conclude a final response," he said.

"As Premier I feel the full weight of responsibility to make sure that we get our response to the Commission's report right to make sure we make our state as safe as possible," he said.

"The people of our state want the opportunity to have some input."

Hands-off approach

Meanwhile, the report concluded that former Victorian Police chief commissioner Christine Nixon took a "hands off" approach on Black Saturday.

It says her performance on the day "left much to be desired".

Ms Nixon has admitted going to dinner at a Melbourne hotel as the fires raged.

The Commission found Ms Nixon, former Country Fire Authority chief Russel Rees and the head of the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Ewan Waller, "did not demonstrate effective leadership in crucial areas" by ensuring that "prompt and accurate warnings were issued to communities in the path of the fires".